No Victim
by Kitiara Raistlin
Summary: The team has tracked down a killer, but there aren't any victims to save, and he isn't on the run. With no suspense, can they really arrest him?


_I just wanted to say, I am a really a Criminal Minds fan, very much so. I just began to notice awhile ago, how there is almost always, one victim that gets taken by the unsub somewhere from the middle to the end of the episode, that means the team can never just waltz over and arrest the bad guy at the end, no problem. It's almost always a race against time to save the last victim. And I understand why, after all if there's no one to save, the arrest wouldn't be that interesting._

_And of course, it's not always the case anyways. Just a lot of the time._

* * *

><p>"What <em>are<em> we going to do?" asked Prentiss.

"I don't know. In all my years as a profiler...I've never come across something like this," said Rossi quietly.

"I've never felt so helpless..."

"The jerk is right there in front of us!" snapped Morgan, "Right there, in his house, watching tv! We can see him right through the window!"

"Maybe we're wrong," said Hotch, "I mean maybe we're mistaken or missed something..."

"Not likely," said Reid, "We found the body of his last victim at ten this morning, the coroner confirmed that she couldn't have been dead for more then forty five minutes to an hour, which means he killed her sometime between 9:00, and 9:15. For all the past seven victims he waited at least a week, before kidnaping another one. This unsub is smart, careful and can control himself."

"Which means he doesn't have another victim in there at the moment," said Prentiss.

"Which means we have no one to save," sighed Hotch.

"Which means we can't arrest him, especially when we're just sitting outside his door, and he's showing not even showing any signs of running."

The BAU team, were standing by their vans, outside the house of Abel Greene, watching through the window, as Abel watched Gone With The Wind on Turner Classic Movies.

There was a very long moment of silence.

"I don't entirely understand," said Seaver slowly. "We have the DNA evidence, we have a finger print we're pretty sure is going to match his, we have the profile. We _know_ this guy is the unsub. And we know this guy keeps trophies from his victims, and according to his profile, he's going to keep them in his house on public display. We've got a warrant for his house, we find the trophies; we've got enough to lock this guy away for life. We just have search his house...isn't that actually why we drove up here in the first place? Him being here is just an extra added bonus."

"You don't understand Ashley," said Prentiss, "we need someone to save. We came up here, because we didn't think he would be here. We go in and find the trophies, we _have_ to arrest him on the spot. If he hadn't been here, we'd have to search for him."

"That's always the way it's worked," said Rossi, "...there's always one victim unaccounted for, someone we can save, some reason for we have to rush to catch the bad guy, something to motivate us and spice up the arrest and keep it from becoming boring and dull...or there has to be a good game of cat and mouse with the killer...I just...I've been a profiler for decades and never, have I just had the unsub sitting there, without a hostage, when we've got more then enough to arrest him...it's just...not fair. Not sporting. Not exciting. There's no danger, there's no 'will we, or won't' we get there in time, I just...I may have to retire. I'm too old for this."

"Maybe it's a trap," asked Prentiss.

"He couldn't possible know we were coming though," said Reid, "I don't think a trap is possible."

"Maybe we could just...arrest him anyways?" asked Seaver, confused.

"When there's no one to save?" asked Hotch.

"Well there will be. I mean he will eventually kill more people, we would be saving the future victims."

"Seaver, you're new to the Bureau. So I'll overlook that."

"..." Seaver blinked. "Okay."

"If we put him under surveillance we would eventually be able to arrest him with a victim," suggested Prentiss.

"He'd probably know we were watching and just wait us out," said Reid.

At that moment, Morgan gave a great snort of laughter. Everyone looked at him.

"What's so funny?" asked Hotch cooly.

"Sorry. This scene where Rhett proposes to Scarlet always cracks me up," shrugged Morgan.

"You're watching Gone With The Wind, with the unsub?"

"I'm not watching it with him, just watching his tv screen through the window. It's a good movie."

"I always found it too long," said Prentiss, "Plus I have some real issues with the character of Scarlet-"

"Focus team!" snapped Hotch.

"Sorry."

"What if we gave him a victim?" asked Rossi.

"What are you thinking Dave?"

"Send one of our girls in there, have him try to kill her and save her. Then we could arrest him."

"Seems a little unfair."

"And moronic," Seaver muttered under her breath.

"Well we need someone to save. We found him but there's no suspense," continued Rossi.

"Yeah, but we're right outside the door watching...it still wouldn't be that suspenseful," said Hotch.

"Still, we have to keep up appearances."

"True. Prentiss. Go in there, and get him to try and kill you."

"All due respect Boss-"

"That's an order!"

"Fine."

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

* * *

><p>Abel Greene, sighed, stood and went to the door. He opened it. A pretty woman, with dark hair, stood in the doorway.<p>

"Hello," she said, smiling, "May I come in."

"No."

Long pause.

"Why not?"

"I don't normally let total strangers into my house. Particularly ones carrying guns."

"I'm sorry. I was just on my way home from work, didn't have time to leave it at home- security officer. I saw you were watching Gone With The Wind. I _love_ that movie. Maybe you'd let me watch it with you?"

"...whatver."

"Thanks." The woman followed him inside. "My name's Emily by the way."

"Abel."

"Great to meet you." They sat on the sofa, and began to watch. "You know," said Emily, clearing her throat. "I'm all alone here in Vermont. No friends, or family."

"Ah."

"And I just lost my job. Today. So no one expects me home...or at work...or anywhere. Ever. I could die tomorrow and no one would miss me."

"This is a great part," said Abel, pointing at the tv.

"If I were kidnaped you know...no one would care."

"Great. Oh look! Vivien Leigh! Wow. Now she was an artist."

The rest of the movie was watched in silence. At last however 'The End' appeared on the screen, Abel flicked it off, and the two stood up. Emily smiled coyly at him.

"Thank-you so much...so..."

"So."

Long pause.

"Could I have an apple?"

Abel blinked at her. "An apple?" he repeated slowly.

"Yeah."

"Wait here." He left the room.

_Great,_ she thought hopefully, _he's probably getting a weapon._ She heard footsteps behind her. She turned. He was feet away from her holding...an apple.

"Oh. Thanks. An apple. Just want I wanted."

"Yeah...that's what you asked for at least."

"So true...I did didn't I? So how about a knife?"

"Pardon me?"

"How about a knife for my apple, so I can cut it?"

"Okay. Just another minute."

* * *

><p>"He's left the room again," said Morgan, "She's just standing there holding an apple."<p>

"The apple could be part of the profile," said Reid. "We don't know the form the trophies take. Maybe it's the cores of apples he gives the victims to eat before he kidnaps them."

"He could identify in some sick psychological way with the Snow White story."

"Look, he's coming back into the room," said Hotch, tensing. "And he's holding a knife."

"Get ready, this looks like it's it," said Morgan.

"He's approaching her, he's raising the knife and he's-"

"Handing it too her," said Rossi.

"Dang it!"

"Our victim, has a knife and a gun, and our unsub has nothing. Not exactly suspenseful about getting to her in time," said Morgan.

"I think I'm going to put in for a transfer," said Seaver under her breath.

"What did you say?" asked Hotch.

"Nothing. Just expressing my completely confidence in this operation."

"Good."

* * *

><p>"Alright...well...I suppose I should go," said Emily hopelessly, "I mean...I've watched Gone With The Wind, gotten an apple and a knife...I'm about out of ideas, so I'm going to go."<p>

"Wait a second," said Abel smiling.

"Yes?" asked Emily, perking up.

"Here," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. "Here's my number. Maybe you could give me a call, we could go out for dinner some night. Maybe catch an old movie or something as well?"

"You're asking me on a date?"

"Yes. Despite the fact you seem a little crazy...I kind of like that about you."

"You're asking me on a date!" she said, growing angry.

"Ye...ah."

"A date?"

"I was at least. Thinking of taking back my number now."

"What kind of killer are you!"

"What!"

"Just try and kill me already!"

"I'm sorry, there seems to be some misunderstanding here-"

"I'm beautiful, I'm here, I already told you, no one in the world would miss me. You had a knife! I'm your type! The other victims were dark haired, my age, professional looking! And you've got me all alone! Try and kill me!"

"Maybe you should leave."

"Kill me! Well try to at any rate!"

"Look-"

Emily pulled out her gun and pointed it at him. "Try and kill me now or I will shoot you!"

"But-"

"Now!"

"You're nuts, utterly bonkers."

"Here's the knife," she threw it to his feet. "Take a run at me!"

"You're mad that's what you are!"

The door crashed open.

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later, Abel Greene was being carted off in a police car.<p>

"Well there _was_ suspense," said Rossi, doubtfully.

"Yeah, whether we'd be able to save the Unsub, from the victim. Prentiss," Hotch frowned at her.

"I'm sorry," she shrugged, "It was just so annoying. I gave him every opportunity, he just wouldn't attack me! Plus I had to sit through Gone With The Wind."

"I know, I'm sorry about that...paper work's not going to be easy on this one though."

"And we didn't save a victim. We didn't do anything right."

"I don't know if I'm every going to accept what happened here tonight," said Rossi sadly. "Nothing in my career, has ever prepared me for this..."

"Well we did get the Unsub," pointed out Seaver, in annoyance, "Isn't that sort of the important, main point to focus on?"

"Yes. Of course it is. But the moral victory was his," said Rossi, shaking his head.

"How can he have the moral victory!" demanded Seaver, "He murdered eight women! There is no conceivable, humanly possible way for him to have the moral victory!"


End file.
